Vote on Desiree Davidson's Story
Were they afraid we were planning a coup d'etat?
I spent my first summer during Columbia Law School at a firm in Philadelphia described as one of the best places in the city for black lawyers. I believed that if there was any place where I would have an equal chance at opportunities, be treated fairly and succeed, this would be it. There were three black female summer associates out of sixty that year but any time all three of us were in an office talking, one of the partners would knock on the door to see how we were doing. It happened too often to be a coincidence that sometimes we would purposely agree to meet in so-and-so's office to test our theory that we were being monitored. Like clock work, ten minutes after we would get together a partner would stop by.
Employee Groups
I got to work in lots of different departments at the bank. I got to incorporate domestic partner benefits. I helped start a lesbian work group and was co-chair of that for a number of years. I ended
I had two young men at home who had never had a mother at home, so it was a opportunity and I took it. Now, I work with Boy Scouts of America. And even though I left, I still work with the black employees group from my old job.
They had a very active LGBT group, but it was a secret that you were in the group. So people would meet secretly at off places.
